Vernier adjustment



May 21, 1929- J. A. DIENNER ET AL 1,713,522

VERNIER ADJUSTMENT y Filed Dec. 22, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet l Bg l (9@ May 21, 1929.

J. A. DlENNl-:R HAL VERN IER ADJUSTMENT Filed Dec. 22. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L/v// m///////////////l i M l w May 21, 1929.

J. A. Dn-:NNER ET AL VERNI ER ADJ US TMEN T :s sheets-sheet Filed Deo. 22, 1924 www Qve

Patented May 21, 1929. Y

vUNITED STATES JGHN A. DIENNER, OF EVANSTON,

AND ALEXANDER C. m, 01* VILLA un,

ILLINOIS. i. y

vmmn ADJUSTMENT.

Application mea December 22, 1924. serial no. 757,331.

The present invention relates to means for securing line angular adjustment of a rotary shaft, or the like.

In the operation of the tuning coils and condensers ofa radio outfit, angular adjustments of extremely small extent are often found desirable after the general position of the rotary part has been determined upon. Such means for minute adjustment are often called Vernier adjustments. s Y

We are aware that numerous schemes have been proposed for securing Vernier adjustment, but so far as We are aware, they have not been satisfactory, chiefly because they have undesirable back lash, have yielding parts which soon cease to function, are not positive in operation, and because they deface the panel, or have such projecting or protruding u'nsymmetrical parts as spoil'the l neat appearance of the instrument.

According to the preferred form of the present invention, We provide a Vernier adjustment which is neat and attractive in appearance, does not require separate mounting on the panel, gives a fine adjustment with a relatively large leverage, and contains no appreciablel lost motion. Furthermore,

all the necessary parts may be mounted on the dial itself and they require no separate.v

mounting upon the panel.

According to the preferred Aform of the invention, we provide a shaft to be adjusted with a'loose dial and an arm whichmay be a supplementary dial, if desired, which ar-m is fixed on the shaft. XVe connect these parts, namely, the loose dial and the fixed arm with a lever or crank which is adapted to swingacross the face of the loose dial. N ow we may hold the loose dial Yby' hand or by a clamp to the panel, if desired, and then operate the crank lever to securel relative angular adjustment ofthe shaft with respect to the dial, or vice versa. VThe ratio of the crank arm to the connecting arm may be adjusted to any desired ratio withinv limits,

so that an extremely'fine adjust-ment ofthe shaft may be secured.

In the preferred form ofthe invention,`we operate the crank arm by asliding element which moves on adiameter of the main dial.

This sliding element is so constructed that in its operation the operator may not only move it along the diameter of the main dial, but may, at the same time, resist any tendency of the main dial to rotate, thus holding Vbe a valuable it stationary at its set point while the secondary dlal or. arm is caused to rotate, thus rotating` the shaft within the main dial.

This, in effect, makes the main dial, for the purpose of this secondary motion, the equivalent of the panel upon which the instrument 1s mounted, as it is intended that it shall,'during that secondary motion, be held immovable with respect to the panel.

L As` previously stated, this primary dial may be held immovable with respect to kthe panel in several ways; by holding it with one hand while ythe secondary movement is effected by the other hand, by holding it stationary with certain fingers of one hand while the secondary movement is effected by movement of another linger or fingers of the same hand, by a vdirect contact withl the panel, or by the manner of construction shown whereby the ve manner of applyin the secondary force a ong the diameter o dial while tated. j V

This latter arrangement tends to minimize or practically.V eliminate any rotary effort uponv the rdial and eliminates the necessity for the soft contacts between the main dial andthe panel. We consider this feature to art of the invention. In the modied form of our invention, the crank, instead of beingconnected'to the loose dial and the loose dial to the panel, may be moved into engagement with the panel directly and'then swung across theface ofthe arm or dial which is connected to the shaft.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and operating our invention, we shall now describe a' specific embodiment of the same in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Y n

Figure l is a face view of a :device embodying my invention;

Fig..2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-,2 of Fig. 3; Y

Fig. 3 is, a horizontal cross section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

4 isa entary section taken on the llne 4-4of rg. 2 and showing the adjustable pivot for the control arm;

Fig. 5 is 'a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysection of a modi# fied form of the device, in which clamping Cil means is L'provided for clamping the loose dial to the panel;

Fig. 7 is a face View of a modified form;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the v has a linger piece or knob 20 by which the lineS-S of Fig'. 7;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Fie'. 7;

F ig. 1() is a front view and Fig. 11 is a vertical section of another modification;

Fig. 12 is a face view; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical section of a further modification. Y

In the drawings, We have shown the panel 1, tvhich is made of insulating material and Which forms a front part of the housing, Within which the parts to be adjusted are contained. shaft'2 projectsV through an opening in the panel 1, Vand this shaft is adapted for rotary or oscillatory motion. The front end of the shaft 2 projects through'the panel 1,

`and it has fastenedv thereupon a sleeve Ll., having a collar or flange 5 at the rea lsecondary sleeve 6, which has an armv extending therefrom, is fastened' upon ythe front end of the sleeve 4, as by means of the screw 8, which passesV through both sleeves'l and 6 and'secures them to the shaft l2. Between the rear end of the collar (l and theflange 5, We mount the loosedial member 9 which ythus has a bearing upon the which extends therethrough.V Y i end thelever arm 12 isv pivoted at 13ste theV sleeve 4f. The arm 7, which is thus fast to the shaft 2, has an adjustableyelre or collar V1() thereupon, this yolrev or collar having al lug 11 forming a pivot for tlieleverarm 12,

" 14` to forin an indicating finger playing over' a scale 15 on the dial l VvIn' order to guide the crank arm and indicator 12,:1st, We provide guide-member 17 which, in the present case, is formed of a flat piece of bar lying on a major diameter across the axis of the shaft 2, and forming l a guide for a slider or collar 18, this collar having a lug 19 through which the crank or v lever arm 12 passes, Y

The collar 18 is intended to i'it snugly on p. theguide' member l17 and to have side contact along the guide member 17 for a sulficient distance on both sidesto enable-the operator,` when sliding the said collar along saidV guide member, vto resist a sideivise movement ofthe guide member 17 and hold in a fixed position While the collar is being moved along it. The exact amount of side contact to be applied under various conditions Will depend upon the conditions In the present instance, the

. the di al. 9 is secured. At its rearV themselves and becomes ay matter of mere practicaladaptation to the particular conditions.

On its front side'the slider or collar 18 slider 18 may be moved back and forth upon the guide 17. The ends of the guide are bent down and form attaching feet, as indicated at 21, for securing the same to the face of the dial 9.

The openings through the lugs 11 and 19 are counterbored with a conical taper on each side so that the round arm or crank 12 mayhave angularmotion therein Without binding. If desired, a postV having a cylindrical opening andpivoted onthc member 1() or 18 ,may be substituted instead.V This is Within the skill of those familiar with the art. f Y

The operation of the device is believed to be obvious from the above description.r lThe dial is moved toy anydesired angular position, the slider 18 affording sufficient frietiou to prevent relative motion between the arm 7 and the dial 9ivhen the dial is moved,

to moveV the shaft 2. It will be understood that theV arm 7 may be formed as a supplemental dial, if so desired, or a knob orY projection provided'to permit convenient grasp by the ngers.

d `When the desired general angular position is reached, then the Vernier mechanism is called into play and, by moving the finger piece 20 black andrforth alongr the guide 17, a relative motion betiveen the arm 7 and v IVe may-hold the dial 9 by means of one end Whilelthe other is employed to adjust the Vernier mechanism or, under certain circumstances, the rotative component on the dial 9 may be counterbalanced by the force of the hand in moving the finger piece 20'. y y

In Fig. 6 We have lindicated a modication in which the dial 9 may be, clamped to the paneljl, While the Vernier mechanism is operated. In this ease We provide a small clamping lever 25, the outer end ofrtvhieh forms a convenient socket or holder,as indicated at 26, for holding the forward end 14 of the arm 12, this clamping arm 25, being positionedpreferably at the zero position ef the Vernier mechanism. At its inner end the lever 25,V has a'friction foot or surface 27, Which may-be of rubber, or the like, for clamping the dial 9 against the panel 1, this lever kbeing pivoted in the dial 9, as indicated at 28. The operation of this form of the device will be apparent-` The parts are tied together through the lever 26 and the end of the'arm 14:, so that no relative motion between the dial and the arm is .permitted during the normal position of the parts, as

indicated in Fig. 6, and therefore, the shaft 2 may. be readily adjusted. Y Vgeneral position is' attained, the lever 25 rllhen, When the is swung about in a. clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, to clamp the dial 9 to the panel 1 and to release the indicating lever 12. Then lthe lever 12 may be swung back or forward to secure the desired Vernier adjustment of the shaft 2 to the crank arm or leverage provided between the pivots 11 and In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, we have indicated a modification in which the lever is pivoted upon the member that is secured to the shaft 2, and instead of operating through the dial member 9 and then to the panel 1, we make the outer end of the lever engage the panel directly. In said device, we have the panel 1 and the shaft2, as previously described-` On the shaft 2 we mount a dial member 30 which has an extending hub 31 containing a metal insert 32 fastened to the shaft 2, as by means of the set screw At its central portion this dial contains a socket 34 containing a plurality of spring arms for engaging the button 35, which button is the head of a screw. .The screw 35, which is adapted to enter'and snap into the socket 34, passes through a lever'36 and into a metal insert 37 in the linger piece or button 38, which button or finger piece is thus mounted upon the lever 36, and when the lever 36 is in its central or neutral position, this button 38 lies axially in line with the shaft 2. The lever 36 has a pointer 39 at its free end playing over the scale 40 on the dial member 30.

The lever 36 is pivoted at 41 inV a post 42, which post is set in a recess in the dial 2: and is held between a shoulder 43 and the head 44 of a screw forY holding the post in-the dial. A spring washer 45 maybe inserted between the head and the shoulder adjacent the same.

The post 42 therefore is adapted to swing abolita horizontal axis in the dial 30.- The lever 36 is adapted to swing about a vertical axis in the post` 42 (as viewed in Fig. 7). At its rear end the lever 36 has a clamping foot 46 which is adapted to engagel the panel when the button 35 is withdrawn fromv the socket 34. i

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the partsrarein the position shown in Figs. 7,v 8 and 9, the finger piece 38 is rigidly connected to the dial 30 .by the button 35vand spring socket 34, and

also bv thc fact that the finger piece is connectedv to the lever 36, which lever is secured to the post 42.l Therefore, by turning theV turned linger piece 38, theshaft 2 may be to any desired position until a coarse adjustment is secured. AThen the button 35 iswithdrawn from the'spring socket b swinging the finger piece outwardly from the dial about the pivot 41, this resulting in engagment of the foot 46 with the panel l, under the infuence of the spring 47, which 47 maintains suflcient tension upon the foot 46 as to connect these parts to other,r so that the button 38, with its attache lever 36 and pointer 39, may be swung laterally to secure a cranking` or twisting action aboutthefoot 46 which then serves as a stationary .pivot to move the post 42, which is then the movable pivot, and thereby to move the dial 30 and the connected shaft 2 to the desired Vernier adjustment.

The device shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 may be operated byV omitting the snap in the socket 34. In this manner the foot 46 is normally in rcontact'with the panel and, therefore,.the dial is set for the fine adjustment when in the normal position. -By pressing inward on the buttonk 35 and holding it so the foot 46 will be lifted from the panel and permit free movement of the entire dial until the pressure upon the button 35 is released, when the foot 46 will come again into contact with the panel and the dial will be vagain in its normal position.

It will be seen that this device may, theres.

between which lies the rear or longer arm 54 of the lever 55 vThe shorter arm 56 forms a pointer at 57which as adapted to co-op.

erate with the scale formed on the indicating ring 58, which indicating rlng 58 preferably has a central web or disc 59 providing a roughened surface 60, adapted to co-operate with a pivot or foot 61 formed on the lower side of the short arm56. Thisfoot piece 61 is preferably formed of insulating material and there is a rubber cap ora rubber insert at its lower endor giving a relatively yielding contact with `the roughened surface 60, which roughened surface'60 is preferablyknurled. The foot 61 has a me- .tallie eyelet 62 molded therein, and this is riveted over the edge of a hole in the arm 56.

The disc has a shallow radial recess to receive the fiexible spring member 63, which is'mounted in said seat by means of a metallic eyelet or rivet 65 at its inner end for holding said spring in the seat and `at its outer end is attached to the lever 55 by means of a similar eyelet or hollow rivet 66. At its rear end the lever 55 bears the operating handle or knob 67 by which the lever and shaft are moved. The operation of this form of the device is as follows: Vhen the parts are in the position shown, the lever 55 has its rear end 54 lying between l the shoulders'53 and the shaft 2 lmay be By this action, the lever o5 is connected at Vits remote end to the stationary panel and atv its intermediate end through the eyelet.

66 to the disc 50,v this veyelet serving as a pivot so that as the handle 67 is now moved yin an angular direction, the shaft 2 no longer partakes of the same'degree of motion,

but takes only the greatly reduced motion corresponding to thev length of the lever arms 56 and 54.' Obviously, instead of having the disc 59 interposed, the foot 61 may engage the panel 1 directly.

In the form shown in lFigs. 12 and 13, substantially the same mechanism is employed.'v In this case, however, the disc 70 extends beyond the foot member 61 and carries on its sloping surface 71 the graduations for indicating the position of the shaft 2. In this case, the short arm 56l` is not employed for indicating purposes, but is employed solely for depressing the foot 61 and rocking the disc 70 to and fro, yas may be desired.v The foot 61 projects down through the disc 70, a suitable slot 72 being provided to permit lateral motion of the pin or'foot 61 with respect to the disc 70.

elsv

The foot 61 may be merely a pointed'sheet of metal which may engagethe surface of the panel 1 and, since this portion of the panel is completely covered, scratching or marring of the surface at this point will not be noticeable. Y

The operation of this form of the device is substantially identical with the form just previously described, that is to say, the handle 67, which isformed of insulating material and which is fastened by means of the hollow eyelet or rivet 73 to the lever 55, is normally held to the disc by means ofthe shoulders 53 so that movement of the handle or finger piece 67 imparts its proper motion to the disc 70 and hence to the shaft l2. Bythis means the disc 70 may be swung about the desired angular position. Then substantially the position desired is attained, the knobV or handle 67 may be pulled outwardly away from the panel 1 to release the lever 55 from the shoulders 53 and, at the same time, to bring the foot or pin 61 into engagement with the panel l to connect the remote end of the lever to the stationary panel. Then, by rocking the lever about the pivot 66, the disc 70 partalres of the limited degree of motion corresponding to the short lever arm 56. In this form as well as in the foregoing form, the spring 63 serves the double function of permitting this light in and out rocking motion of the lever 55V to bring the foot 61 01'61 into engagement with the stationary parts and when the knob or handle 67 is released, the spring 63 performs the function of bringing said knob or handle and its lever back int-o position against the disc 50 or 70, as the case may be. Then it is desired to resumeV motion of the disc 70, the knob 67 is vmoved over into neutral position and dropped between the shoulders 53, the spring 63 tending to hold the parts in suchposition. The Vedgesl of the spring 63 lie s between parallel shoulders which forma seat for said spring to prevent lateral motion of the same about its holding rivet 65. These shoulders, however, permit flexing of the spring in and out with respect tothe panel 1, in order to perform the function heretofore described.

le do not intend to be limited to the details shown or described. V

IVeclaim:

1. In combination, Va fixed member, a

shaft, a dial fixed on said shaft, a lever lpivoted between said dial andsaid iixed member, the free end ofthe lever extending over Athe dial and forming an indicator andi-a scale on said dial co-operating with said indicator. l 2. In.' combination, Aa panel, a shaft, a member fixed on the shaft, a pivot 0n said member, alever mounted on said pivot and having its outer` end connectible `with the panel, said lever being movable across the end of the shaft substantially parallel Vto the panel.

3. In combination, a panel, a shaft projecting through the panel, a member on the front side of the panel, a pivot on said member, and a lever mounted on said pivot and adaptedto haveconnection with the panel, said lever havingl its free end ypointed to form any indicator and a finger piece connected to the lever, said linger piece being adapt-ed to lie axially in line with the shaft when the lever is in neutral position.

`4; In combination, a panel, a shaft projecting therethrough, a dial onfthe front end thereof, a lever pivoted to the dial, said dial having graduations thereupon, and the end of the lever sweeping over said graduations and forming an indicator. Y

5. In combination, a shaft having a member secured thereto, a lever pivoted to the member, means for connecting the lever directly to the member for common angular motion and means connecting the lever to the member for relatively reducedv angular motion with respectto the lever, said lever comprising afoot member movable into engagement with a stationary abutment.

. `6. In combination, a shaft having a memllO fio

ber secured thereto, a lever pivoted for two degrees of motion with respect to the member, and means for holding the lever directly vto the member for common angular motion.

7. In combination, a shaft, al member secured to the shaft, a lever mounted on said member, said lever having a foot member kadapted to engage a stationary abutment,

relative movement between said arm and said fixed member.

9. In combination a fixed member,.a ro-' tatable shaft extending through said fixedv member, a lever carried on said shaft and pivoted thereto, and means for connecting one end of said lever to the fixed member.

l0. In combination a fixed member, a rotatable shaft extending through said fixed member, a lever carried on said shaft and pivoted thereto, and means for securing relative motion between said fixed member and said shaft by making contact between Vsaid fixed member and one end of said lever and moving the other end of said lever.

l1. In combination, a panel, a shaft projecting from the same, a head on said shaft, a Vernier element carried by the head but normally out of contact with the same, said element having two degrees of motion With respect to the head, said vernier element having a portion adapted to enga e the panel by one degree of movement t ereof and to shift the headwith respect to the panel by the other degree of motion.

12. In combination, a shaft, a stationary member adjacent the same, a head on the shaft, a pivoted Vernier element carried by the head out of `contact with the member, said element having a portion adapted to be projected into engagement with the stationary member, and a handle -for moving the element through a limited rocking movement to adjust the shaft with respect to the stationary member.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our names this 20th day of December, 1924.

JOHN A. DIENNER. i ALEXANDER o. MABEE.

Lim 

